Pixie Lott - Turn It Up

HIGH hopes abound for Pixie Lott, an attractive young singer who has already made UK chart history by securing top spot with her debut single in its first week of release.

Billboard posters, festival and TV appearances and a hectic touring schedule have all helped to raise the profile of a singer who combines the retro sass of Amy Winehouse with the pop know-how of the Sugababes and R’n‘B style of Christina Aguilera.

But while debut album Turn It Up is a serviceable offering, it falls some way short of justifying the hype surrounding her.

Recorded between London, LA, New York and Atlanta, the LP cleverly mixes styles between pure pop, ’60s soul and heartfelt balladry, but it often lacks much character and feels too polished.

Songs such as recent single Boys And Girls are just plain bland and underwhelm with poorly written lyrics such as “all the boys and the girls, they’ve got it going on, and when the beat kicks in you can feel it in your bones”. You get the feeling that Pixie could deliver such pop moments with her eyes closed.

Album opener Mama Do, meanwhile, feels like a retread of the type of ’60s soul that helped cast Winehouse and Duffy into the stratosphere… although admittedly catchy and well delivered.

The Way The World Works, meanwhile, is a tepid R’n‘B infused ballad that seems to want to channel the energy of Beyonce without really coming close.

That said, there are moments when Pixie gets it right. Cry Me Out, the forthcoming third single, taps into the clever songwriting tendencies her PR insists she has with some cheeky lyrics and a keen sense of beat and melody.

While Band Aid comes closer to the ear-catching R’n‘B pop of Beyonce and Turn It Up adopts a sassy, knowing style that’s vaguely reminiscent of Lily Allen, complete with another decent pop chorus.

Gravity, meanwhile, showcases a maturity that’s belies her tender years, and a moodiness that evokes the Sugababes in their prime, complete with sweeping string chorus.